Topic: COVID-19:VERIFIED news sources, 0 politishit, 0 CONSPIRACY SHITE

[oldfordie]

Even at the lowest end of that range, the entire population could be vaccinated in as little as half a year.

If they can achieve that I suppose vaccine supply may be the bigger bottle neck

? not sure if you mean 5000 per day.

[stevensr123]

Fauci has just done untold damage. c*nt like it’s absolutely ridiculous what he did. Blood on his hands. Hope trump fucks him off now. And I used to like him.

[Red Beret]

Fauci has just done untold damage. c*nt like it’s absolutely ridiculous what he did. Blood on his hands. Hope trump fucks him off now. And I used to like him.

Maybe instead of steaming you could, you know,  say what he did? Oh and Biden's already said his job is safe.

[CraigDS]

Maybe instead of steaming you could, you know,  say what he did? Oh and Biden's already said his job is safe.

I'm guessing it's the comments he made yesterday.

[Garrus]

Fauci has just done untold damage. c*nt like it’s absolutely ridiculous what he did. Blood on his hands. Hope trump fucks him off now. And I used to like him.

Anti-vaxxers weren't going to listen to Fauci anyway.

[Red Beret]

I'm guessing it's the comments he made yesterday.

What did he say? Not seen it.

[CraigDS]

What did he say? Not seen it.

He gave a stupid reply to what Williamson said, and has since apologised.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-55177948

[Red Beret]

He gave a stupid reply to what Williamson said, and has since apologised.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-55177948

Don't see much wrong with that. A poor choice of words to be sure, but I do that all the time. He's apologised anyway so no need to fuss.

[johnybarnes]

Don't see much wrong with that. A poor choice of words to be sure, but I do that all the time. He's apologised anyway so no need to fuss.

Are you the chief medical adviser for the most powerful nation in the world?

[CraigDS]

Don't see much wrong with that. A poor choice of words to be sure, but I do that all the time. He's apologised anyway so no need to fuss.

I mean there was 100% something wrong with what he did. It was beyond a poor choice of words and was just fucking stupid. The last thing anyone who knows how serious Covid is and who knows how important mass uptake of a vaccine is should be doing is coming out and saying that a Govt. have pushed through a vaccine too quick.

However Williamson shouldn't have given the stupid fucking comments he did which invited the opportunity for these comments in return.

[johnybarnes]

Anti-vaxxers weren't going to listen to Fauci anyway.

No but there are plenty of people on the fence that will. Their main argument is that the vaccine 'feels' rushed - the exact point that Fauci is now trying to walk back.

[Qston]

Don't see much wrong with that. A poor choice of words to be sure, but I do that all the time. He's apologised anyway so no need to fuss.

Problem is though mate is that most of us on here are critical thinkers who are actually pretty well informed. There is a sizeable proportion of the population that may not be as well informed. So when a well respected senior scientist in the states says what he did then it has an effect. The damage is partially done in the first place and no matter how much he rows back on it, people will hear the first and not necessarily hear his following comments.

I have a lot of time for Fauci and all that he has had to put up with in the states, but his original comments were unhelpful and frankly daft.

[Garrus]

No but there are plenty of people on the fence that will. Their main argument is that the vaccine 'feels' rushed - the exact point that Fauci is now trying to walk back.

I don't think it's going to influence all that many people. He made a mistake and he apologised. It's not like the approval process in America is going to take another year.

[CraigDS]

I don't think it's going to influence all that many people.

I'd be surprised if it doesn't. It's an educated voice adding support for those who are already wary of a vaccine.

[Andy82lfc]

Problem is though mate is that most of us on here are critical thinkers who are actually pretty well informed. There is a sizeable proportion of the population that may not be as well informed. So when a well respected senior scientist in the states says what he did then it has an effect. The damage is partially done in the first place and no matter how much he rows back on it, people will hear the first and not necessarily hear his following comments.

I have a lot of time for Fauci and all that he has had to put up with in the states, but his original comments were unhelpful and frankly daft.

Agree with that, it's unfortunately a lot of the 'it feels rushed' brigade that it will affect, and I have spoke to a few usually very open minded and intelligent people lately who have been talking about reservations as it feels 'rushed' etc, so I think these comments were more than daft I think they were completely idiotic and dangerous.

He can row back all he likes but the seed will have been planted and any people on the fence or waving around misguided opinions now have a medical expert 'backing them up.' 

[Red Beret]

Are you the chief medical adviser for the most powerful nation in the world?

No. I've also not been dealing with an opportunistic, idiotic cnut of a megalomaniac president for the past ten months either.

[Red Beret]

Problem is though mate is that most of us on here are critical thinkers who are actually pretty well informed. There is a sizeable proportion of the population that may not be as well informed. So when a well respected senior scientist in the states says what he did then it has an effect. The damage is partially done in the first place and no matter how much he rows back on it, people will hear the first and not necessarily hear his following comments.

I have a lot of time for Fauci and all that he has had to put up with in the states, but his original comments were unhelpful and frankly daft.

Of course. But he's human and he didn't mean it to sound that way. Not sure what he's supposed to do? Resign? What good will that do, denying people his years of experience because he stuck his foot in his mouth once? You can't get Trumpsters to wear flipping masks, much less take a vaccine.

He's made a mistake. People need to put the pitchforks down.

[Qston]

Of course. But he's human and he didn't mean it to sound that way. Not sure what he's supposed to do? Resign? What good will that do, denying people his years of experience because he stuck his foot in his mouth once? You can't get Trumpsters to wear flipping masks, much less take a vaccine.

He's made a mistake. People need to put the pitchforks down.

Of course he shouldn`t resign and yes, I agree, he's made a mistake. It is the context of the mistake and his position that is important and the fact that it could cause people to think it has been rushed, or simply reinforce a preconceived notion they had - however ill informed. I am not actually talking about the US/Trumpsters anyway. I am talking about the public here.

[Jiminy Cricket]

No. I've also not been dealing with an opportunistic, idiotic cnut of a megalomaniac president for the past ten months either.

I have already commented as such to this thread, but it should also be remembered that Fauci is a medical advisor and scientist, not a politician. Johnson and Williamson are the politicians in this matter and they fucking started this shit. Obviously, it would have been better if Fauci had thought through his comments before opening his mouth, but he didn't. What he did do - because he's an intelligent and decent human being - is unequivocally retract his comments and offered a clarification. He may have done this even though he might have thought there was something to his initial comments (the UK's approval of the vaccine might appear rushed to him, someone not directly involved in the UKs approval process). But, he gets the politics of it (even if it they did not occur to him at the time). Have Johnson and/or Williamson retracted their comments or expressed any regret? You know, the politicians who really should be more cognisant of how their words can have negative consequences upon the masses. Fauci is not responsible for how some assholes will deliberately misuse his words to fit their agenda. He's just a man in a pretty-much impossible position. It is fine to criticise his words, but comments calling him an 'asshole' and that Trump should sack him are extremely holier than though and shortsighted.

[CraigDS]

Manchester pause use of rapid testing as they fail to detect about a 1/3rd of cases that normal testing find.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-55188183

[Red Beret]

Of course he shouldn`t resign and yes, I agree, he's made a mistake. It is the context of the mistake and his position that is important and the fact that it could cause people to think it has been rushed, or simply reinforce a preconceived notion they had - however ill informed. I am not actually talking about the US/Trumpsters anyway. I am talking about the public here.

I agree. But as we know, the whole situation has been politicized. And demanding his removal is also a political act.

[filopastry]

Just got an email through, asking if I was interested in taking part in the Janssen/J&J Phase 3 vaccine trial.

I said yes but doubt I will be selected, as I would imagine they will prioritise those in riskier jobs to boost the chance of getting good case numbers quickly

[LovelyCushionedHeader]

I don't think it's going to influence all that many people. He made a mistake and he apologised. It's not like the approval process in America is going to take another year.

Exactly this. The US will end up approving the exact same vaccine, so there is a pretty easy rebuttal for anyone using Fauci's words as a reason not to have it. Not that it will make a difference to them.

[rob1966]

Manchester pause use of rapid testing as they fail to detect about a 1/3rd of cases that normal testing find.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-55188183

[Zeb]

Manchester pause use of rapid testing as they fail to detect about a 1/3rd of cases that normal testing find.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-55188183

What Bev Craig (Manchester's lead on adult health and social care) is saying is that it's not just the lateral flow test itself but that it also needs to be supported with lots of the PCR testing and track and tracing for it to work in the way they were hoping for care homes and other places where not having best you could is needlessly risking people's lives. And the other parts are still not there to level needed.

[Garrus]

W.H.O Director General David Nabarro on CNN telling people not to be pressurised into taking a vaccine. "If you don't feel comfortable about it, don't take it."

[killer-heels]

W.H.O Director General David Nabarro on CNN telling people not to be pressurised into taking a vaccine. "If you don't feel comfortable about it, don't take it."

Good input that.

[killer-heels]

Who was the gloating presenter that Fauci was referring to?

[filopastry]

UK Case numbers and deaths

Cases 16,298 (16,022 Prior week)
Deaths 504 (521 Prior week)

Case numbers by sample date



Deaths by day



Cases showing some signs of levelling off this week after some good declines in previous weeks, worrying as all of this was before lockdown 2.0 ended.

London increasing before moving to Tier 2, hard to see how it won't move to tier 3 at the next review

[reddebs]

There's been discussion the last couple of days on here about the positive impact the science and health care professions may get from having the virus front and centre for most of the year with a new generation.

My client tonight is a data analyst with a science background who had been working with cancer research data last time I saw her but she's now got a new job working with some of the companies developing the vaccines but mostly with Pfizer.

She confirmed it's now great to be able to talk about her work and people understand what she does, rather than trying to explain with "oh I mess about with numbers and make graphs".

[lamad]

Agree with that, it's unfortunately a lot of the 'it feels rushed' brigade that it will affect, and I have spoke to a few usually very open minded and intelligent people lately who have been talking about reservations as it feels 'rushed' etc, so I think these comments were more than daft I think they were completely idiotic and dangerous.

He can row back all he likes but the seed will have been planted and any people on the fence or waving around misguided opinions now have a medical expert 'backing them up.' 

Neither should Fauci be sacked nor called names, but it was an extremely daft and damaging thing to do. I phoned a (very good) friend yesterday who normally is very open minded in regards to science and not at all in any sort of conspiracy or esoteric or whatever corner and we started talking about the vaccines. He mentioned that he had been talking with several colleagues this week and almost all of them would not like to be vaccinated at this point. Main arguments being 'no-one knows about long term effects', 'it is rushed/why did development go so fast' and 'why do three companies come out with something at the same time, this is highly suspicious'.

I tried to talk some sense into him for the better part of the next hour and hopefully got him to consider facts like those vaccine developments not having started at point zero in February but years before that, or that in these past few months more money and manpower than ever was thrown at this (the other day the BioNtech guy stated that they worked 24/7, i.e. it is not like these scientists all went home for their weekenends and let their labs slow down). Or those misconceptions about long term effects. I bet a percentage of these colleagues smoke, drink alcohol, eat unhealthy food, take meds sometimes, drive a car... but are worried about the miniscule chance of a negative effect from a vaccination.

What shocked me most is that we are not talking right or left wing conspiracy nuts or people who have utterly failed in life, neither with my friend nor his co-workers at the fire department (mostly admin not fire fighters) - this is perfect middle class, well educated, financially secure, level headed folk for the most part. But they are totally drawn into these doubts and conspiracy thoughts. The stunt Fauci pulled with his statement will fuel these doubts and you can't even say they are from a nutty non-expert. He really should have known better.

[Zeb]

Bit more of the science side. If you contributed computer time to Folding@home then this is what you've helped propel forward by shortening development time.

Soon, the compound’s potency had increased by two orders of magnitude. Then, the chemical compound successfully killed live coronavirus in human cells without harming the cells. Now, that drug candidate and three more promising compounds are headed to animal testing in preparation for human clinical trials.

“All four are progressing really rapidly,” says Alpha Lee, cofounder and chief scientific officer of PostEra. “Now we are moving to the next phase: We are launching the drugs in animals and paving a path to the clinic.”

The COVID Moonshot, an open-science initiative that combines crowdsourcing with high throughput crystallography and machine learning, has synthesized and tested 1,000 compounds in less than 6 months, including generating crystal structures for over 200 of the compounds. Over 30 teams and organizations, including large university labs, chemical synthesis companies, and pharmaceutical companies, have provided time, expertise, and materials pro-bono or at cost.

Currently, the group has narrowed in on four chemical series—families of structurally-related compounds—that each show antiviral activity and drug-like qualities such as being stable in the body and potent in small amounts. “Four starting points evolved and matured into four elites,” says Lee. Having four chemically-diverse options means that if one turns out to be lacking, the group can quickly switch to another, he adds.

The compounds target a protein that is the Achilles heel for coronaviruses, the coronavirus main protease, Mpro. Which means the drugs could be effective against all coronaviruses, not just SARS-CoV-2. Additionally, small molecule drugs are often easier to make and distribute than vaccines, so Lee hopes new antivirals could help combat the current pandemic in places where vaccines may be hard to access.

The Moonshot team maintains a living summary of their data and results on bioRxiv, and everything produced by the group—including all data and final drug designs—is being made openly available with no intellectual property restrictions. “You can think of this as a generic drug from day zero,” says Lee.

https://spectrum.ieee.org/the-human-os/artificial-intelligence/medical-ai/covid-moonshot-generates-elite-antivirals


Everything going well, animal trials will begin in a few months time and then it's who wants to finish the development of a generic drug (or set of drugs) which will work for all coronaviruses in the years ahead.

[Gus 1855]

Yeadon and Clare Craig talking some utter shite on social media.

[No666]

Bit more of the science side. If you contributed computer time to Folding@home then this is what you've helped propel forward by shortening development time.

https://spectrum.ieee.org/the-human-os/artificial-intelligence/medical-ai/covid-moonshot-generates-elite-antivirals


Everything going well, animal trials will begin in a few months time and then it's who wants to finish the development of a generic drug (or set of drugs) which will work for all coronaviruses in the years ahead.

Does that mean science has found a cure to the common cold? 

[RainbowFlick]

Interesting, thank you. I've had contact from the Janssen trial and am over 65 so very unsure whether to continue or not. The problem, I imagine, is that they need the full spectrum of age groups to complete the trial effectively. Or will they simply ring-fence subsequent approved vaccines for the age spectrum they were proved effective for?

I think they struggle to fill a good enough test group that isn't just young white people to be honest. I think having a range of vaccines will be very useful in case of any issues and also for those that can't take a certain other vaccine for whatever reason. I can see why you'd be a little unsure, but if you're in good health and it's a phase 2 trial I think you'll be fine. 

[redbyrdz]

Does that mean science has found a cure to the common cold? 

Most colds are caused by rhinoviruses, not only coronavirus. There are over 200 different viruses that cause cold-like symptoms.

[RainbowFlick]

Just got an email through, asking if I was interested in taking part in the Janssen/J&J Phase 3 vaccine trial.

I said yes but doubt I will be selected, as I would imagine they will prioritise those in riskier jobs to boost the chance of getting good case numbers quickly

Actually not really the case. They want to see if you have an adverse reaction to a vaccine mainly so if you're just at home/safe work environment it's also useful.

I think they prioritise certain communities that are harder to recruit (i.e. people that aren't young and white).

[RainbowFlick]

My background by education was Chemistry. I went to uni at a time when Chemistry and Science in general was on it's arse. Departments were closing. Admission grades were incredibly low (my offer at the time was BBC at A-Levels). My Uni had no dedicated lecture theaters so we basically had 9am and 4pm lectures most days.

Then Brian Cox came along on TV and investment in science skyrocketed. Science was 'cool' again. It had been coined the 'Brian Cox Effect'. Uni's started improving and so did the research.

But I know that today the bar for Uni education is so high. I started at Uni the final year before top-up fees were introduced (my tuition was £1250 a year). So needing AAA at A-Level and having to spend £9k+ a year is just impossible for me.

It's such a big commitment too. Imagine being 18 right now and deciding whether you want to do something in medicine/healthcare/medical sciences and then having this £9k/year+ debt over your head all the while knowing you'll only get empty gestures when shit gets rough. Ridiculous place we've ended up.

[filopastry]

Actually not really the case. They want to see if you have an adverse reaction to a vaccine mainly so if you're just at home/safe work environment it's also useful.

I think they prioritise certain communities that are harder to recruit (i.e. people that aren't young and white).

I will have my fingers crossed then, although so many people signed up for the NHS vaccine trials that I am guessing they are likely pretty overflowing with volunteers

[RainbowFlick]

I will have my fingers crossed then, although so many people signed up for the NHS vaccine trials that I am guessing they are likely pretty overflowing with volunteers

You're right although it seems a lot of people signed up but only a portion of those really end up becoming a participant (either deciding against or for some reason being disqualified.)

I think some people think it's pretty much Pfizer / Oxford or bust but really the more we have the better. Give me all the vaccines I want to levitate